SHREWSBURY/NAPLES, FL- James E. ”Jim” Baker, 94, formerly of Shrewsbury, died on December 3, 2015 at Barrington Terrace in Naples, FL.

He was born in Lawrence, MA on April 17, 1921 to A. Waldo and Emily (Tuffts) Baker. Jim’s wife of 41 years, Dorothy A. Baker, died in 1989. He leaves daughters, Jane Burgess and husband, Sean of FL, Beth Travis and husband, Paul of Westborough, Mary Lou Hillery and husband, Mike of IA, Nancy Baker of Holden and son, Mark Baker and his wife, Jill of MI; nineteen grandchildren, ten great grandchildren; two nieces and a nephew. His daughter, Dian Samson of RI and sister, Dorothy Baker Morris predeceased him.

As a WWII veteran, Jim received the Distinguished Flying Cross. For 28 years, he served as Manager of Shrewsbury Electric and Cable Operations. He was instrumental in bringing cable TV to Shrewsbury and credited with winning the 1964 precedent setting Shrewsbury case which allowed all of Massachusetts and eventually New England municipal light companies to buy power directly from N.E. Power, saving those communities millions of dollars. Jim was among the founders of Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Co. and the New England Power Pool. He served on the American Public Power Association Board of Directors and received the James D. Donovan Personal Achievement Award. Jim devoted much of his time in retirement to his family, gardening and Habitat for Humanity.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend a funeral Mass that will celebrate Jim’s life on Wednesday, December 9, 2015 at 11 AM in Saint Mary’s Church, 640 Main Street, Shrewsbury. Burial with military honors will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations in Jim’s memory can be made to Habitat for Humanity-Metro West/Great Worcester, 11 Distributor Road, Worcester, MA 01605.

Affiliations